Notes / Commercial Description:
The Roman Empire had a certain "je ne sais quoi" - festive food culture, extravagant architecture, and spectacular live entertainment. Some might argue the Emperors were brutal, mad, and hungry for power, and the people vain when taking baths and working out all day. Listen - that's still all part of the secret Imperial ingredient - keep it cool, clean, confident, arrogant, and flamboyant. Forza Imperiale.

Reviews by eyeenjoybeer:

More User Reviews:

Assured and lush, Evil Twin puts together a massive stout that celebrates all things imperial, and does so with impeccable balance and power. They put a whole lot of extra awesome in this beer!

Opening with the darkest of dark brown hues, the beer nearly allows the color of chocolate to command the appearance, over that of stout. The dark ale allows for a quick rise of light tan foam to cap the beer confidently and withstanding retention. Well laced and ring defined, the heady froth clings to the glass like milkshake.

Deep aromas are an even-keel blend of chocolate and coffee. If not for the bourbony tinge of alcohol, it would have been easy to assume coffeehouse mocha-brewed blends. Bold sweetness of burnt caramel, roasted barley, toasted hazelnuts, heavy whipping cream, and vanilla all swirl to the nose and mesmerize the senses.

Super creamy, dense and full flavored, its the taste of mocha that leads the charge. The melange of espresso and bittersweet chocolates play out from the initial sip 'til the savory finish. All the while, this lavish stout picks up caramel and brown sugar sweetness early on the tongue, then provides a fat heavy cream and vanilla soaked middle palate before turning to burnt toast, brownie batter, and smooth coffee bitterness in closure.

Velvety on the palate, the beer massages every nook and cranny of the mouth with a dense sheet of silky sweetness. Alcohol warmth eases the would-be cloying texture as the dry roast of the beer ushers in a malty-dry culmination in its infinite aftertaste.

It's one of those transcendent stouts that gives you something new to praise at every sip. Just when you have seen it all in Stoutland, Evil Twin offers something more to entice the taste buds.

Bottle. Started at 57 degrees. Label said "Best before 2015". What's that about? A cheap shot at Deschutes? Anyways, this does pour very black and exciting. Aroma is sweet, maybe some oak but don't think is barrel aged? Maybe it's the cookie. As it warmed in the glass I got a sweet molasses-like smell, very nice. First flavor impression is bitterness; it gives way to smooth flavor, but that bitterness is always there with each drink from start to finish. I did not get distinct coffee or chocolate, but rather roasted malt and some kind of welcomed melded sweetness. Sorry, my palate just can't pick out 7 kinds of distinct fruits and grains like some of our more insightful members! Mouthfeel was nice medium, but I wish a little creamier, say more like Founders Breakfast Stout or Goose Island Bourbon County or Prairie Bomb! Overall a very well crafted stout, but that front end bitterness is a bit of an issue for me.

1 pint can poured into a tulip. Nosed from the can, dark chocolate and dark roast coffee are prominent, alongside a chocolate-and-biscuit-cookie note. Hints of bourbon, though this is certainly not a barrel aged beer. Pours a deep brown/pitch black with a thick, foamy, 2 finger dark mocha head rising in the glass. Nosed from the tulip, the notes are somewhat less concentrated, but are identical to those found when nosed from the can. The palate begins with a deep chocolate/fudge note characteristic of sweeter Doubles, but this beer avoids going to the extremes of sweetness found in many of Southern Tier's Blackwater Series. The rich chocolate gives way to brown sugar and molasses, along with traces of dark fruit (esp cherries). The aftertaste is what really makes this beer something special though. An amaretto note lingers on the palate after the beer has cleared the mouth, and that almond note (which was drowned in the bourbon when I tried the barrel-aged version of this beer) adds the little something extra that puts this beer over the top. Mouthfeel is characteristically on point. Overall, an outstanding beer that showcases how a brew can select a unique flavor note and accentuate it with just the right amount of finesse. No heavy-handed attention-seeking stunts here - the almond is perfectly situated in a supporting role that sets this beer apart from other entries in the style.

Smell: IB is marked by its unmistakable almond-scented nose that literally jumps out of the glass, followed fast by robust, just-roasted coffee, melty sweet chocolate, subtle vanilla beans, steeped prunes, and a splash of clean alcohol.

Taste: A double-chocolate almond cookie dunked in rich morning-fresh coffee generously dosed with sweetened vanilla-flavored almond milk and even a drip of Amaretto. A dark fruitiness shortly creeps in, as does a (very) little roasty bitterness, maybe a snippet of restrained leafy, tobacco-laced hops. The various flavors, some nutty, and the dessert-like sweetness just roll back and forth over the tongue, progressing beyond the smooth, slightly warming, slightly drying finish.

Mouthfeel: Medium-plus body. Medium carbonation. Silky mouthfeel.

Overall: Listen, if you can't get excited about this beer, you don't deserve coffee, vanilla beans OR almonds.

Aroma: Dark malts with a bit of a soy sauce edge. Maybe past its prime?

Taste: Definitely on the sweeter side but with a fair amount of bitterness on the back end. Quite boozy as well. Lots of black coffee essence and some harder flavors to discern (dark chocolate, almond, vanilla extract?) that all add up to an odd experience. Still it has a certain liqueur quality that is nice in the finish. Bitter dark chocolate/black coffee aftertaste. It's growing on me.

Mouthfeel: Thicker than molasses in the dead of winter. Just the right amount of minimal carbonation. Low drinkability.

Final Thoughts: Maybe past it's prime but still decent. The copious amount of flaky sediment coming out of the bottle when rinsing it had me worried. Would I drink it again? Maybe, but not before trying more of Evil Twin's lineup.

Sleek, viscous dark brown pour form a 16 oz. can into a 22 oz. glass. Like the bigger glass as it perfectly accommodates the head on this thing, which is a bit more than I'd think for something so thick and sweet. And yes, it is quite sweet. Not a big fan of coffee beers, but I love that this comes off more as a chocolate stout with a subtle amount of coffee to anchor the sweetness. You really can't taste that it's 11.5 ABV on the palate, which is maybe the craziest thing about this beer (that and the fact that Evil Twin is selling 16 oz. cans of it at the ABV level!). For a dessert-ish beer that goes down incredibly smooth and has enough complexity (despite its sweetness), I love this one if only for the fact that I can drink two of em at a BBQ, enjoy every sip, and only look like a guy who's had two beers.

Optics are as expected, head is thick and fluffy. Aroma was a little lite on mine, but there are definite notes of cream, almond and mild espresso. Wish it was more robust. Flavor is good, the aroma is a very good indicator of what you get - vanilla, almond and light espresso. Also a tad soft, but definitely tasty. Very smooth mouthfeel.

This is, quite simply, one of the best imperial stouts on the market, and definitely the best flavored stout that is relatively easy to find (in the Northeastern/NE market, anyway). Now that it's available in an affordable 16 oz can format, it's absolutely impossible to pass up. The previous bomber incarnation usually ran me like $16-17 a pop, and I've STILL bought it numerous times, as well as ordered it on tap whenever I've seen a keg of it (for similarly exorbitant prices, sometimes in excess of $1/oz).

Now, how does this can, brewed and packaged at Two Roads in Stratford, CT, hold up?

The pour is one of a completely opaque, decadent tar-black ale with intense mocha/khaki head that only lets up after a few minutes in my glass. Carbonation quickly dances upwards from the bottom of the glass, building the head slightly with each small pour. Eventually, when fully poured, it sits in the glass, topped by a finger of bubbly foam that has laced intensely since its deterioration. Of course, it's a beautiful beer; one that has a certain 'je ne sais quoi', as the body copy professes Italy to have as well.

The nose is rife with complexity, ranging from dark berries to molasses, with plenty of other notes: almond liqueur, marshmallow crème, dark chocolate, espresso, vanilla beans, cinnamon/nutmeg and toffee all come alive in the smell of this most-excellent beer. I've always loved the way that this beer expertly introduces complex elements, such as slight dark fruit/berry, to the rich stout base without actually adding those flavorings. There's something very subtle and genius about the way this comes across on the nose.

Lots of roasted notes on the tongue, backed by baking spice, chocolate, almond biscotti, banana taffy, raspberry jam, dark-roast coffee, vanilla, brown sugar and caramel. In other words, a near-perfect assemblage of everything great about stouts, with some surprises along the way.

Soft and round mouthfeel with a full body and light-medium carbonation. Ethanol is mildly noticeable, but feels rather light in comparison to some of Jeppe's other big stouts and porters. This has too many other flavors to really have much of a burn (even at 11.5%), though it's also best consumed at close to room temperature (cellar temp probably works as well) to really get the most out of it.

As a format note, color me amazed that this whole thing has translated so well to a can. I love canned beer, don't get me wrong, but it's crazy that seemingly nothing changed when this brew was made at a different facility and in a different format. To be certain, as a result, this is a review for Imperial Biscotti Break as a whole, not just for the new canned version (though it's far cheaper and more easily accessible to be sure). It's exactly like I've remembered it for years and I'm ecstatic to be able to have it on a semi-regular rotation in my fridge. Amazing... simply amazing!

I missed out on this while it was on tap at Sessions here in Greensboro so I had to pick up a bottle while at Bestway today.Poured into an oversized wine glass jet black with a deep mocha colored head,just deep and rich looking.Deep bitter chocolate,dark fruit,and toasted almonds over top of dark espresso roast coffee notes,as it sits more sweet alcohol comes into play,deep and complex aromas here.Chocolate and dark fruit dominate the palate,obviously it's quite roasted with the mocha java quality to it.It's big complex and sticky,the best Evil Twin brew I have had no question about that,great stuff here.

Thanks to whomever broke this one out for the tasting... Pours a deep, dark black with only little bits of dark-ass ruby red along the edges. Small tan head forms for a moment, then lapses into a small ring around the glass; not much lacing left behind.

The nose starts off with a thick and heavy, deeply roasted espresso aroma - coffee beans left and right. A bit of nuttiness and creamy sweetness round things out. Overall, this one is pretty straightforward on the nose, but it's one of the best "coffee" aromas I've had the pleasure of smelling. Very raw, pure, and robust - this is how coffee should smell when it's introduced to a beer.

The first flavor to pop is a super sweet coffee/espresso combination - there is a deep, roasted quality in the background, but a bit more noticeable is the "cream and sugar" aspect of it, raising the drinkability without being too sweet or cloying. Intense creaminess leads into a milky brown sugar flavor, followed by burnt syrup and mild molasses. Vanilla and hazelnut play small parts in the background, but are definitely noticeable.

I'm sensing a bit of underlying dark fruits and a slight touch of anise. The alcohol is warming and adds to the robustness without being too scary or demanding. Aftertaste is full of a deep java and mocha flavor, with a bittersweet chocolate element that coats the mouth even after swallowing. This one feels a bit thinner than expected; medium bodied with medium carbonation, still carrying a pretty creamy and silky mouthfeel.

Wow! What a damn good beer. This was one of my favorites from the tasting. So tasty and drinkable for being such a bold and heavy beer. Beautiful coffee and espresso notes with little hints of cocoa, vanilla, and sugar. An absolute pleasure to drink.

This beer is nuts. Super sweet on the nose. Really does smell a bit like anise flavored desserts. Essentially a chocolate biscotti with coffee in beer form. Cloyingly sweet but pretty damn good. One of these is enough but it's delicious.